I have been charged with possession of a firearm but I did not touch it. I was simply in my friend’s car when they searched it and found it under a seat. Why have they charged me?

To prove an individual guilty of possession of a weapon, Crown must prove that the item seized was in fact a weapon. In the case of firearms, it must be a barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person.

The Crown must also prove that the individual charged had control of the firearm and had knowledge that the item was a firearm. This is not always as easy to prove as it sounds. In this case, you were charged because the police may not know whose firearm it was and so they charged everyone in the car. For this reason you should consult a lawyer to discuss your case.